How do I prepare for radiation after breast cancer surgery?

Preparing for radiation therapy can feel overwhelming, but connecting with others who've walked this path can provide valuable insights and reassurance. Many community members have shared helpful experiences about managing daily routines during treatment and finding effective ways to care for their skin and energy levels throughout the process. Hopefully, others in the community will share their practical tips and experiences to help you feel more prepared for this important part of your treatment journey.

I used Lindi soothing balm after my radiation treatment at night. It really helped. When I started anastrozole my joints started hurting. The calcium supplement that I found to be the best is Citracal slow release 1200. It really made a difference and my joints stopped hurting. Still get an occasional stiffness, but it really did make a big difference.

Nancy first off I am sorry that you’re facing this. It’s not a fun ride, but as women we are strong! I didn’t have your kind of cancer I had DCIS in situ stage 0-1 but I believe treatments are some what the “same” I had a lumpectomy followed up by 20 rounds of radiation therapy. I first got fitted for my personal “mold” a sponge like pad that I had to lie in face down while getting radiation. Second I got my “freckle tattoos” for the targeted radiation. Then my radiation everyday for 20 days. I’m not sure how long you have to get it done, but the first week I only felt fatigue, all through my radiation all I felt was fatigue and bad brain fog! My whole treatment I was going to work afterwards and it wasn’t until I was done with radiation that I started feeling worse. Exhaustion, a fatigue that never goes away by the way, then redness where I had radiation a red and extremely itchy rash, I used Aquaphore cream with pure aloe and got some relief from using that, I also bought on Amazon ice packs for breast feeding and I would put that in my bra and that seemed to help a lot! Also the stiffness of the arm pit/ arm is not fun, I would do stretches (wall crawls with my treated arm) It’s almost been a year since I’ve had radiation and I still have stiffness and sometimes tingly sensation I still do stretches I feel that helps a lot. I’m going to be 44 years old next month so since my cancer was hormonal I had a full hysterectomy as a preventative measure my brain fog and fatigue is still very much there, I am not an exercise type person but I found that the stretches and low cardio has helped as well. The worst part of radiation that I found was, the red itchy rash was the worse it wasn’t until afterwards that I found it to be the worse the extreme fatigue and brain fog just doesn’t seem to ever get any better.. I hope sharing my experience will help you as you and I pray that you get through this difficult journey and God Bless 🙌